New roles developing in offseason for Louisville

Louisville women’s soccer was beginning its spring season before the COVID-19 global pandemic ended a development opportunity for players replacing the roles of five senior starters on a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019 with 13 wins.

Callie McKinney, Brooklynn Rivers, Niamh Nelson, Arianna Ferraro and Allison Whitfield were stalwarts in Louisville’s starting lineup as seniors in 2019. Now, Louisville spends the offseason filling the void left by the group that had multiple years of starting experience.

The Cardinals hosted Bellarmine in February inside the Trager Center as the only match this spring as younger players began the transition into larger roles.

“I think they were learning, they were embracing their role, they were doing pretty well,” Louisville head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes said. “It will be an exciting time for our returning players and newcomers to jump in and learn.”

Although some roles and positions are in question during the offseason, Louisville returns its best goal scorer and its all-conference goalkeeper.

Emina Ekic finished with eight goals and eight assists as a junior last season. Ekic had 27 shots on goal, a midfielder that Ferguson-Dayes called one of the top players in the country.

Gabby Kouzelos had an 0.87 goals against average to rank second all-time in program history, finishing her redshirt junior year with 51 saves and 10 shutouts. Kouzelos was named to the All-ACC second team.

“The two of them coming back really provides us with strong leadership,” Ferguson-Dayes said.

With the departures of Nelson and Ferraro along Louisville’s backline, Ferguson-Dayes tried numerous players at the two centerback positions this spring.

She said junior Cassie Amshoff stepped into the role and has the opportunity to be a mainstay at the position.

“She has a really high soccer IQ, really great athlete,” Ferguson-Dayes said.

Junior Maisie Whitsett is another option for one of the centerback positions as well.

After scoring four goals as a sophomore, Delany Snyder can become a bigger factor offensively, Ferguson-Dayes said.

Louisville wants to be a more balanced team this season, with the ability to transition and possess. The Cardinals created scoring opportunities off counterattacks last fall, but Ferguson-Dayes envisions an offense that can build possessions.

“Potentially have the ball a little bit longer, build it and advance the ball with multiple passes,” Ferguson-Dayes said.